Well completion techniques can require perforation of the casing. The casing is perforated in strata that may contain the hydrocarbons of interest. Charges from a perforation gun can perforate the casing wall and shatter the formation sufficiently to facilitate the flow of the hydrocarbons into the well.
A perforating gun can be used for these applications. Perforating gun failures can occur when a crack initiates at an exit hole and grows in a lateral direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the gun.